The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is a legislative program that was authorized in Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (or "FAST Act"), the federal transportation act that was signed into law on December 4, 2015. With certain exceptions, projects that met eligibility criteria for the Safe Routes to School Program, Transportation Enhancements, and/or the Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Program are eligible TAP projects.
All TAP projects require sponsors to pay 20% of approved projects costs. TAP projects are capped. A TAP project may not be substituted for another project. TAP projects must commence within four years of the award date.
TAP projects within the jurisdiction of a Transportation Management Area (TMA) are selected at the regional level by TMAs, which are metropolitan planning organizations with a population over 200,000. TMA contact information is provided below.
2018-2022 TAP award cycle
Change Management
In October 2017, applications for the 2018-2022 Program Cycle for TAP became available. The applications were due Friday, January 26, 2018. The department solicits applications every other year, so the next opportunity to submit application will occur in the fall of 2019.
State Fiscal Year 2018-2022 Program Cycle Application
Previous awards
Sponsor’s Guide and training requirements
The Sponsor’s Guide to Non-Traditional Transportation Project Implementation (Sponsor’s Guide) provides information and instructions to Sponsors to help them successfully develop locally let federally funded transportation projects in accordance with Federal and State laws and regulations.
Sponsors of non-infrastructure and/or planning projects should note that some of the Sponsor’s Guide will not apply to non-infrastructure activities.
The Sponsor must become familiar with the Sponsor’s Guide so that they understand the responsibilities they are accepting when applying for the benefit of using Federal Funding. Beginning with projects awarded in 2010, Sponsors constructing locally let projects must attend a one-day training session. The training session instructs Sponsors on the local letting process and results in certification to administer and deliver these projects.
The Sponsor's Guide, Certification form and additional resources are available at the link below.
Regional local program contacts
Please direct TAP questions to the appropriate WisDOT contact person listed below.
Southwest Region
Tom Koprowski
thomas.koprowski@dot.wi.gov
Phone: (608) 246-3869
Fax: (608) 246-3819
Southeast Region
Robert Schmidt
robert1.schmidt@dot.wi.gov
Phone: (262) 548-8789
Fax: (262) 521-4425
- TMA Contact:
Ryan Hoel
Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
rhoel@sewrpc.org
Northeast Region
Sandy Carpenter
sandra.carpenter@dot.wi.gov
Phone: (920) 492-5681
Fax: (920) 492-5711
- TMA Contacts:
Melissa Kraemer Badtke
East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
mbadtke@ecwrpc.org - Cole Runge
Brown County Planning Commission
Phone: (920) 448-6480
North Central Region
Sandy Stankevich
sandy.stankevich@dot.wi.gov
Phone: (715) 365-5784
Fax: (715) 365-5780
Northwest Region
Bill Zimmer
william.zimmer@dot.wi.gov
Phone: (715) 635-5014
Fax: (715) 635-2309
Statewide contact
Merrill Mechler-Hickson
merrill.mechlerhickson@dot.wi.gov
Phone: (608) 261-8977
